Eppendorf White Paper 14 - Manual (Page 7)

WHITE PAPER I No. 14 I Page 7
Conclusion
Cleaning and routine maintenance
(can be performed by user)
Sufficient awareness about the need of proper centrifuge
care is important. Long term exposure to contaminants like
salts or chemicals may affect the equipment by developing
corrosive sites. Continuous failure of cleaning and routine
maintenance will enhance the chemical wear. Loss of material
and even holes in the equipment may result in the worst
case. Therefore, checking the rotors and rotor bores visually
for residue and corrosion on a weekly or monthly basis is
suggested. If needed, following the described cleaning and
routine maintenance procedures is recommended. Rotors or
buckets, if damaged, should be replaced to avoid possible
rotor crashes. A technician might be asked if in doubt.
If these instructions are being followed, the centrifuge
operator will be provided with confidence all around
centrifuges. He will be able to guide other team members
and spread a consciousness for proper centrifuge care.
Furthermore, in this paper an insight into the variety of
different rotor quality levels was given. Good chemical
resistance of aluminum rotors is achieved when anodized
coating is present, as it is the case for all Eppendorf aluminum
made rotors as a standard. If outstanding resistance is
essential, because of regular work with aggressive solvents
such as phenol, acetonitrile, DMSO, acetone, trichloroacetic
acid, acetic acid and sodium hypochlorite, Eppendorf offers
special PTFE coated fixed-angle aluminum rotors.
In summary: Good quality rotors as those from Eppendorf
and proper centrifuge care performed as recommended
will support a safe working standard in the laboratory and
extend the life-time of centrifuge equipment to its maximum.
On top, Eppendorf offers professional inspection and
certification services for customers with highest lab safety
demands.
Eppendorf Rotor Assurance Plans
(performed by Eppendorf service technician)
As rotors and buckets are subject to normal wear and tear,
over the years, all rotor structures will eventually suffer from
fatigue due to the stress of high numbers of cycles.
If not maintained correctly, surface scratches can lead to
microscopic cracks, followed by critical cracks. Regular
qualified inspection of the rotor equipment will detect
damages early in order to prevent further problems and/or
equipment failure. Eppendorf Rotor Assurance Plans offer
professional inspection and evaluation of Eppendorf rotors.
Our certified, expertly trained and experienced service
technicians use highly sophisticated borescope equipment
for inspections. Additional information, service inquiries
and local offers can be found at:
www.eppendorf.com/epServices.
Rotor Assurance Plans are only available in selected
countries and service may vary according to country.